diff --git a/src/rlx_assemble.erl b/src/rlx_assemble.erl
index 70b9f8a2c..f31cdd457 100644
--- a/src/rlx_assemble.erl
+++ b/src/rlx_assemble.erl
@@ -472,17 +472,42 @@ generate_start_erl_data_file(Release, ReleasesDir) ->
 %% @doc copy vm.args or generate one to releases/VSN/vm.args
 -spec copy_or_generate_vmargs_file(rlx_state:t(), rlx_release:t(), file:name()) -> ok.
 copy_or_generate_vmargs_file(State, Release, RelDir) ->
+    RootDir = rlx_state:root_dir(State),
+
+    %% default paths to check for the args file
+    DefaultVmArgsSrcPath = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "vm.args.src"]),
+    DefaultVmArgsPath = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "vm.args"]),
+
+    %% paths to copy to in the release
     RelVmargsPath = filename:join([RelDir, "vm.args"]),
     RelVmargsSrcPath = filename:join([RelDir, "vm.args.src"]),
-    case rlx_state:vm_args_src(State) of
+
+    VmArgsSrc = rlx_state:vm_args_src(State),
+    VmArgs = rlx_state:vm_args(State),
+
+    case VmArgsSrc of
         undefined ->
-            case rlx_state:vm_args(State) of
+            case VmArgs of
                 false ->
+                    %% when vm_args_src is not set and vm_args is false, do nothing
                     ok;
                 undefined ->
-                    RelName = erlang:atom_to_list(rlx_release:name(Release)),
-                    unless_exists_write_default(RelVmargsPath, vm_args_file(RelName));
+                    %% if neither is defined but the files exist at the default paths, include those
+                    case filelib:is_regular(DefaultVmArgsSrcPath) of
+                        false ->
+                            case filelib:is_regular(DefaultVmArgsPath) of
+                                false ->
+                                    %% if neither is defined and neither exists then create a default vm.args
+                                    RelName = erlang:atom_to_list(rlx_release:name(Release)),
+                                    unless_exists_write_default(RelVmargsPath, vm_args_file(RelName));
+                                true ->
+                                    copy_or_symlink_config_file(State, DefaultVmArgsPath, RelVmargsPath)
+                            end;
+                        true ->
+                            copy_or_symlink_config_file(State, DefaultVmArgsSrcPath, RelVmargsSrcPath)
+                    end;
                 ArgsPath ->
+                    %% include the vm_args file if it exists
                     case filelib:is_regular(ArgsPath) of
                         false ->
                             erlang:error(?RLX_ERROR({vmargs_does_not_exist, ArgsPath}));
@@ -492,7 +517,7 @@ copy_or_generate_vmargs_file(State, Release, RelDir) ->
             end;
         ArgsSrcPath ->
             %% print a warning if vm_args is also set
-            case rlx_state:vm_args(State) of
+            case VmArgs of
                 undefined ->
                     ok;
                 _->
diff --git a/src/rlx_config.erl b/src/rlx_config.erl
index 2cb6e85c7..9f12db1c3 100644
--- a/src/rlx_config.erl
+++ b/src/rlx_config.erl
@@ -86,14 +86,26 @@ load({release, {RelName, Vsn}, Applications, Config}, {ok, State0}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:add_configured_release(State0, Release2)};
 load({vm_args, false}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:vm_args(State, false)};
+load({vm_args, undefined}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:vm_args(State, undefined)};
 load({vm_args, VmArgs}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:vm_args(State, filename:absname(VmArgs))};
+load({vm_args_src, false}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:vm_args_src(State, false)};
+load({vm_args_src, undefined}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:vm_args_src(State, undefined)};
 load({vm_args_src, VmArgs}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:vm_args_src(State, filename:absname(VmArgs))};
 load({sys_config, false}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:sys_config(State, false)};
+load({sys_config, undefined}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:sys_config(State, undefined)};
 load({sys_config, SysConfig}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:sys_config(State, filename:absname(SysConfig))};
+load({sys_config_src, false}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:sys_config_src(State, false)};
+load({sys_config_src, undefined}, {ok, State}) ->
+    {ok, rlx_state:sys_config_src(State, undefined)};
 load({sys_config_src, SysConfigSrc}, {ok, State}) ->
     {ok, rlx_state:sys_config_src(State, filename:absname(SysConfigSrc))};
 load({root_dir, Root}, {ok, State}) ->
diff --git a/src/rlx_state.erl b/src/rlx_state.erl
index 84651ffea..1aa9da247 100644
--- a/src/rlx_state.erl
+++ b/src/rlx_state.erl
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@
                   config_file=[] :: file:filename() | undefined,
                   available_apps=#{} :: #{atom() => rlx_app_info:t()},
                   vm_args :: file:filename() | false | undefined,
-                  vm_args_src :: file:filename() | undefined,
+                  vm_args_src :: file:filename() | false | undefined,
                   sys_config :: file:filename() | false | undefined,
-                  sys_config_src :: file:filename() | undefined,
+                  sys_config_src :: file:filename() | false | undefined,
                   overrides=[] :: [{AppName::atom(), Directory::file:filename()}],
                   exclude_apps=[] :: [AppName::atom()],
                   exclude_modules=[] :: [{App::atom(), [Module::atom()]}],
@@ -229,11 +229,11 @@ vm_args(#state_t{vm_args=VmArgs}) ->
 vm_args(State, VmArgs) ->
     State#state_t{vm_args=VmArgs}.
 
--spec vm_args_src(t()) -> file:filename() | undefined.
+-spec vm_args_src(t()) -> file:filename() | false | undefined.
 vm_args_src(#state_t{vm_args_src=VmArgs}) ->
     VmArgs.
 
--spec vm_args_src(t(), undefined | file:filename()) -> t().
+-spec vm_args_src(t(), undefined | false | file:filename()) -> t().
 vm_args_src(State, VmArgs) ->
     State#state_t{vm_args_src=VmArgs}.
 
@@ -241,15 +241,15 @@ vm_args_src(State, VmArgs) ->
 sys_config(#state_t{sys_config=SysConfig}) ->
     SysConfig.
 
--spec sys_config(t(), false | file:filename()) -> t().
+-spec sys_config(t(), false | undefined | file:filename()) -> t().
 sys_config(State, SysConfig) ->
     State#state_t{sys_config=SysConfig}.
 
--spec sys_config_src(t()) -> file:filename() | undefined.
+-spec sys_config_src(t()) -> file:filename() | false | undefined.
 sys_config_src(#state_t{sys_config_src=SysConfigSrc}) ->
     SysConfigSrc.
 
--spec sys_config_src(t(), file:filename() | undefined) -> t().
+-spec sys_config_src(t(), file:filename() | false | undefined) -> t().
 sys_config_src(State, SysConfigSrc) ->
     State#state_t{sys_config_src=SysConfigSrc}.
 
diff --git a/test/rlx_release_SUITE.erl b/test/rlx_release_SUITE.erl
index 0f25fcf84..297f4e796 100644
--- a/test/rlx_release_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/rlx_release_SUITE.erl
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ groups() ->
       [make_release, make_config_release, make_release_semver, overlay_release,
        make_extend_release, make_extend_release_versioned, make_extend_config_release,
        make_scriptless_release, make_app_type_none_release, include_powershell,
-       include_unix_powershell_win32,
+       include_unix_powershell_win32, make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args_src,
+       make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args,
        make_not_included_nodetool_release, make_src_release, make_excluded_src_release,
        make_exclude_modules_release, make_release_with_sys_config_vm_args_src,
        make_exclude_app_release, make_overridden_release, make_goalless_release,
@@ -72,8 +73,6 @@ init_per_testcase(_, Config) ->
     [{out_dir, OutputDir} | Config].
 
 end_per_testcase(_, _) ->
-    %% prevents failures in tests when xref fails to stop
-    application:stop(xref),
     ok.
 
 make_release(Config) ->
@@ -182,6 +181,7 @@ make_extend_release(Config) ->
                     goal_app_2]},
                   {release, {foo_test, "0.0.1", {extend, foo}},
                    [goal_app_2]},
+                  {check_for_undefined_functions, false},
                   {lib_dirs, [filename:join(LibDir1, "*")]}],
 
     {ok, State} = relx:build_release(foo_test, [{root_dir, LibDir1}, {lib_dirs, [LibDir1]},
@@ -983,6 +983,76 @@ make_release_with_sys_config_vm_args_src(Config) ->
                                                        "vm.args"])))
     end.
 
+make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args_src(Config) ->
+    LibDir1 = ?config(lib_dir, Config),
+    OutputDir = ?config(out_dir, Config),
+    RootDir = filename:join(LibDir1, "make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args_src"),
+
+    %% the .src versions should take precedence and the others are not copied
+    SysConfig = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "sys.config"]),
+    rlx_test_utils:write_config(SysConfig, [{this_is_a_test, "yup it is"}]),
+
+    SysConfigSrc = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "sys.config.src"]),
+    rlx_test_utils:write_config(SysConfigSrc, [{this_is_a_test, "yup it is"}]),
+
+    VmArgs = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "vm.args"]),
+    rlx_file_utils:write(VmArgs, ""),
+
+    VmArgsSrc = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "vm.args.src"]),
+    rlx_file_utils:write(VmArgsSrc, ""),
+
+    RelxConfig = [{dev_mode, false},
+                  {release, {foo, "0.0.1"},
+                   [goal_app_1,
+                    goal_app_2]},
+                  {check_for_undefined_functions, false}],
+
+    {ok, State} = relx:build_release(foo, [{root_dir, RootDir}, {lib_dirs, [LibDir1]},
+                                           {output_dir, OutputDir} | RelxConfig]),
+
+    [{{foo, "0.0.1"}, _Release}] = maps:to_list(rlx_state:realized_releases(State)),
+
+    ?assert(filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                           "sys.config.src"]))),
+    ?assert(filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                           "vm.args.src"]))),
+
+    %% check that sys.config and vm.args don't exist because .src was used instead
+    ?assert(not filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                               "sys.config"]))),
+    ?assert(not filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                               "vm.args"]))),
+    ok.
+
+make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args(Config) ->
+    LibDir1 = ?config(lib_dir, Config),
+    OutputDir = ?config(out_dir, Config),
+    RootDir = filename:join(LibDir1, "make_release_with_default_sys_config_vm_args"),
+
+    %% no .src versions of the files means these get used
+    SysConfig = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "sys.config"]),
+    rlx_test_utils:write_config(SysConfig, [{this_is_a_test, "yup it is"}]),
+
+    VmArgs = filename:join([RootDir, "config", "vm.args"]),
+    rlx_file_utils:write(VmArgs, ""),
+
+    RelxConfig = [{mode, prod},
+                  {release, {foo, "0.0.1"},
+                   [goal_app_1,
+                    goal_app_2]},
+                  {check_for_undefined_functions, false}],
+
+    {ok, State} = relx:build_release(foo, [{root_dir, RootDir}, {lib_dirs, [LibDir1]},
+                                           {output_dir, OutputDir} | RelxConfig]),
+
+    [{{foo, "0.0.1"}, _Release}] = maps:to_list(rlx_state:realized_releases(State)),
+
+    ?assert(filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                           "sys.config"]))),
+    ?assert(filelib:is_file(filename:join([OutputDir, "foo", "releases", "0.0.1",
+                                           "vm.args"]))),
+    ok.
+
 make_prod_mode_release(Config) ->
     LibDir1 = proplists:get_value(lib_dir, Config),
     OutputDir = ?config(out_dir, Config),